The explosion in the number of communication devices operating over public switched telephone networks has increased the costs of telecommunications because the additional devices require extra phone lines, phone numbers, and even new area code additions, which are costly. These added costs adversely effect consumers, businesses and the general public.
On the other hand, the increasing access to, and connections to data networks, such as the Internet, presents an affordable means for maintaining near constant communications with clients, colleagues, and family members. In addition, the convergence of voice and data traffic should move in such a way that the transfer of data between public switched telephone networks and data networks, such as the Internet, becomes more transparent to the consumer and more economical to use.
While the transmission of voice-to-voice communications over data networks is now possible, communications between the public switched telephone network and data networks is still not seamless. For example, while current instant messaging services allow for voice communications connected directly to data networks, telephone calls that originate from a calling party using a public switched telephone network to a called party connected to a data network with an instant messaging client, for example, does not exist. Several examples may clarify the problems that currently exist for the consumer.
Suppose, for example, that a typical private consumer in the home has a single telephone line into the house. When that telephone line is being used, no other incoming telephone calls can be accepted by any member of the household. It would be useful if the consumer's Internet connection could also be used to receive incoming calls from the public switched telephone network and act as a virtual second telephone line, without paying for the expense of having a second hardwired telephone line.
Similarly, suppose that a business would like its employees to have the ability to receive incoming telephone calls while away from the office, or in lieu of a second telephone line to his/her desk when connected to its employer's data network. One solution may be to provide every employee with a cellular phone, however, the costs would be prohibitive. Since many employees have laptop computers for use away from the office, it would be cost effective and efficient if the employee could use his/her connection to the Internet or corporate network to accept incoming telephone calls from the public switched telephone network via their instant messaging client.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods to provide voice communications originating on a public switched telephone network to a called party connected to a data network via an instant messaging client.